1.0National Sustainable Agriculture Coalitionhttps://sustainableagriculture.netRebecca Schewehttps://sustainableagriculture.net/blog/author/rschewe/rich600338<blockquote class="wp-embedded-content" data-secret="ZBDunrbozv"><a href="https://sustainableagriculture.net/blog/usda-staffing-crisis-rural-development-staff-cuts-leave-rural-communities-behind/">USDA Staffing Crisis: Rural Development Staff Cuts Leave Rural Communities Behind</a></blockquote><iframe sandbox="allow-scripts" security="restricted" src="https://sustainableagriculture.net/blog/usda-staffing-crisis-rural-development-staff-cuts-leave-rural-communities-behind/embed/#?secret=ZBDunrbozv" width="600" height="338" title="“USDA Staffing Crisis: Rural Development Staff Cuts Leave Rural Communities Behind” — National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition" data-secret="ZBDunrbozv" frameborder="0" marginwidth="0" marginheight="0" scrolling="no" class="wp-embedded-content"></iframe><script> /*! This file is auto-generated */ !function(d,l){"use strict";l.querySelector&&d.addEventListener&&"undefined"!=typeof URL&&(d.wp=d.wp||{},d.wp.receiveEmbedMessage||(d.wp.receiveEmbedMessage=function(e){var t=e.data;if((t||t.secret||t.message||t.value)&&!/[^a-zA-Z0-9]/.test(t.secret)){for(var s,r,n,a=l.querySelectorAll('iframe[data-secret="'+t.secret+'"]'),o=l.querySelectorAll('blockquote[data-secret="'+t.secret+'"]'),c=new RegExp("^https?:$","i"),i=0;i<o.length;i++)o[i].style.display="none";for(i=0;i<a.length;i++)s=a[i],e.source===s.contentWindow&&(s.removeAttribute("style"),"height"===t.message?(1e3<(r=parseInt(t.value,10))?r=1e3:~~r<200&&(r=200),s.height=r):"link"===t.message&&(r=new URL(s.getAttribute("src")),n=new URL(t.value),c.test(n.protocol))&&n.host===r.host&&l.activeElement===s&&(d.top.location.href=t.value))}},d.addEventListener("message",d.wp.receiveEmbedMessage,!1),l.addEventListener("DOMContentLoaded",function(){for(var e,t,s=l.querySelectorAll("iframe.wp-embedded-content"),r=0;r<s.length;r++)(t=(e=s[r]).getAttribute("data-secret"))||(t=Math.random().toString(36).substring(2,12),e.src+="#?secret="+t,e.setAttribute("data-secret",t)),e.contentWindow.postMessage({message:"ready",secret:t},"*")},!1)))}(window,document); //# sourceURL=https://sustainableagriculture.net/wp-includes/js/wp-embed.min.js </script> This post is part of NSAC's USDA staffing series and looks at how USDA Rural Development is facing a severe staffing crisis, having lost more than a third of its workforce in 2025 and over half of its staff since 2005, stripping the agency of both seasoned experts and the next generation of employees. These losses undermine essential programs that support farmers, rural businesses, housing, broadband, and community development.https://sustainableagriculture.net/wp-content/uploads/2025/12/VAPG-1.jpg20701380